Brolga

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Brolga
Brolga
Brolga
Brolga

Brolga

Grus rubicunda


Breeding season from August to December in the southern parts of Australia. They lay two (sometimes three) eggs that are white, blotched with brown and purple. Incubation is by both sexes and lasts 30 days. The young fly at 14 weeks.


Details Description
Type
Bird
Group
Crane
Other Common Names
Australian Crane
Identifying Characteristics

Large, grey crane from 0.8-1.3 m tall, with a wingspan from 1.7-2.4 m. Long, grey legs. Black dewlap under the chin.

Distinctive Markings

Featherless red head and grey crown.

Diet

Omnivore, feeding mainly on tubers and some crops. Also eats insects, molluscs, amphibians and occasionally mice.

Habitat

Freshwater swamps, flooded grassland, billabong margins, lagoons, dry grasslands, floodplains, irrigated pasture, estuaries, mangroves.

Native Status
Native to Australia
Sounds
Breeding call far carrying bugle, contact call, low purring "grruw", in flight - hoarse grating "graough", alarm "ga - r - r -oo".
Taxonomy
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Aves
Order
Gruiformes
Family
Gruidae
Genus
Grus
Species
rubicunda
Brolga
Found across tropical northern Australia and southwards through north-east and eastern central areas as well as central New South Wales to western Victoria.

Distribution maps indicate current and historic locations where species have been sighted.

Source: Atlas of Living Australia

Conservation Status
DEPI Advisory List
Vulnerable
FFG Act
Listed as threatened
EPBC Act
Not listed
FFG Action Statement

The conservation status of species is listed within Victoria and Australia.

The Department of Environment and Primary Industry (DEPI) Advisory List consists of non-statutory advisory lists of rare or threatened flora and fauna within Victoria.

The Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (FFG Act) lists threatened species in Victoria. Under the Act, an Action Statement is produced for each listed species.

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) is the Australian Government’s key piece of environmental legislation, listing nationally threatened native species and ecological communities.

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